BRICS Parliamentary Forum: Russian Speaker Visits Rajghat

Ahead of the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin visited Rajghat on Sunday. He paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and offered flowers at his samadhi.

The Russian Embassy in India announced the visit on X. It stated that Volodin reached the Rajghat memorial complex on October 25, where he honoured Gandhi, a leader of India's freedom struggle, and placed a floral wreath at his resting place.

Volodin is in India on an official visit. He will attend the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, scheduled for October 26 and 27 at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, which India is hosting as chair.

The forum will bring together parliamentary leaders from BRICS member and partner nations. Discussions will centre on people-focused development and on deepening parliamentary cooperation.

Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, had announced the dates on Thursday at a press conference held in Parliament House. He said the event would open a new chapter in India's parliamentary diplomacy.

Participants will include parliamentary speakers, Union ministers, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, speakers of state assemblies, members of Parliament and other dignitaries. PM Narendra Modi will also take part and meet delegations from different countries.

Bilateral and multilateral meetings are planned during the forum. Birla added that 18 countries have already sent suggestions, which will guide the talks.

India has further formed parliamentary friendship groups with 64 countries as part of a new initiative. Birla said such a large-scale effort was being made for the first time.

On October 3, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had chaired a consultative committee meeting on India-Russia ties. He repeated India's support for dialogue and diplomacy to end the conflict in Ukraine.

The meeting reviewed cooperation in trade, investment, energy, connectivity, culture and people-to-people relations.